Police in Thika are holding a 25-year-old woman for allegedly refusing to breastfeed her baby.
Faith Nyokabi is said to have abandoned her four-month-old child at her matrimonial home in Kiganjo estate last week, vowing not to return unless her husband Charles Kiiri pays her Sh100,000.
Kiiri, a 36-year-old casual laborer, said he was informed on Sunday that his wife had taken off, leaving their baby on his own in the house. He rushed home and found the infant under the care of his neighbors, who told him that the baby was abandoned immediately after he left for work.
The man phoned his wife pleading with her to return and breastfeed the child, but she insisted she would only come back after receiving the payment. She also informed her husband that she had visited a local hospital where she was injected with a drug to dry out the breast milk.
Left with no choice, Kiiri reported the matter to Thika Children’s Offices and was referred to Murang’a Children’s Offices.
The woman was arrested in Thika on Tuesday and will be arraigned to face charges of child neglect and denying child protection and care contrary to the Children’s Act.
Kiiri said the disagreement between him and his wife was fueled by his mother-in-law whom he accused of making frequent and unreasonable financial demands.
